Date: 10 December 2024
Time: 18:00 - 19:00

Education Otherwise Than At School or EOTAS is the legal mechanism whereby a child or young person with an EHC Plan can receive special educational provision despite being unable to attend an educational setting. Under a EOTAS arrangement, the child or young person will not be required to be on the roll of, or in attendance at, an educational setting. Instead, they will receive their education and special educational provision either at home, or in some circumstances, within an external setting that is not a registered educational setting.

Elective Home Education is where parents choose to exercise their legal right to take responsibility for educating their child at home.

Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 states that parents who have children of compulsory school age must secure an education for them and that the education must be suitable for their:

(a) Age

(b) Ability

(c) Aptitude

any special educational needs that they may have.

The education can be obtained either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. This means that parents can opt to home educate their children if they wish, provided they can show the criteria is being met (i.e. that the education is suitable for the child’s age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs). Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 states that each local authority must make arrangements for:

(a) the provision of suitable education at school.

(b) for those children of compulsory school age who by reason of illness, exclusion from school or otherwise may not for any period receive suitable education unless arrangements are made for them.

Our expert SEND law solicitors will guide you through the law relating to EOTAS, EHE and the right to a suitable education. They will then answer any questions you have in a Q&A session at the end of the webinar.